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Friday, June 1, 2012

Railway Gardens

When I was a child, I received a toy train for Christmas. I can remember playing with that train for hours. I think the fascination about toy trains for me was how you could create this miniature landscape complete with buildings, people and animals and have a working train that moved throughout the landscape. When my children were young, they received a train set for Christmas. We built a small train track layout in the garage for them to enjoy. Over the years my fascination with miniature railways moved to miniature doll houses and now to miniature outdoor gardens. The idea of an outside miniature garden with trains sounds like something I would really like to build.

Recently, I had the chance to visit Taltree Arboretum and Gardens to see the Railway Garden. Taltree Arboretum and Gardens is located in Valparaiso, Indiana. What a treat! It was the biggest railway garden that I have ever seen. The Railway Garden has hundreds of dwarf and miniature trees and plants. The garden is made up of 850 tons of Missouri Limestone, 1486 cubic yards of soil, 6 water features and over 3,000 feet of track that runs throughout the garden. The trains runs through prairies, canyons, mountains, cities and small towns. The garden contain historical vignettes that show life in America from 1863 to 1915. This is a garden that can be enjoyed by children, gardeners and those adults who are "kids at heart". The detailing was amazing as you can see from the following pictures.

If you ever have a chance to visit Valparaiso, Indiana stop and visit Taltree Arboretum and Gardens. While you are there, you can spend the day walking in the arboretum, visiting the many gardens and have fun watching the trains in the Railway Garden. It might just inspire you to start a railway garden in your own yard.

Happy Gardening!

The Creative Gardener

Tip: If you are interested in starting a railway garden in your yard, you will be looking for G-gauge trains.

4 comments:

Very enjoyable and unexpected topic! I had a chance to play with a miniature train scene once and it was a lot of fun. I love miniature anything, (especially dwarf animals), so these pictures really mesmerized me. Thanks!

This is absolutely unbelievable! I have been studying (and making) miniature gardens for some time now and have never heard of this place. I'd love to go some time but your photos give a great idea of what it looks it. Thanks!

About Me

My name is Debbie and welcome to "Garden Thyme with the Creative Gardener". I have been gardening since I was a little girl. I always enjoyed planting and growing all types of plants. I am married and have two grown sons. I live with my husband Steve and our two Yorkies on an old estate that once was a farm in the late 1800. Our house is an old barn. When I am not gardening, I am working on and remodeling our home. I live along the banks of the White River on 1 1/2 acres of gardens. I became a Master Gardener in 2004 and started my own garden design and maintenance business in 2006. I recently retired and now I am doing freelance garden writing, photography, gardening and still working on the house remodel that never ends. Join me on my blog for information on plants, gardens, garden design, cooking, home decorating and DIY projects for the home. Leave a comment, I always enjoy hearing from other gardeners.